System and method to ensure data integrity of software defined storage system

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for storing data are provided. To store data, a data storage system may include multiple storage nodes and a support node. Copies of data may be stored in the storage nodes. When the data stored by the storage nodes appears to be inconsistent, metadata from the support node may be used to resolve the inconsistencies. The storage nodes and support node may be integrated into a single chassis. The chassis may be a form factor compliant chassis such as a rack unit compliant chassis for mounting to rack rails.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A data storage system, comprising:
 a chassis; 
 a first storage node positioned in the chassis, the first storage node being adapted to maintain a first copy of data stored by the data storage system; 
 a second storage node positioned in the chassis, the second storage node being adapted to maintain a second copy of the data stored by the data storage system; and 
 a support node positioned in the chassis, the support node being adapted to:
 maintain metadata for the data stored in the data storage system; 
 when the first storage node and the second storage node have an inconsistency in the data stored by the data storage system, participate in a resolution process to resolve the inconsistency between the first copy of the data and the second copy of the data, the resolution processing comprising a quorum based voting process that comprises making a determination using the metadata regarding whether the first copy of the data or the second copy of the data comprises an inconsistency with the data stored by the data storage system. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The data storage system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a data management service hosted by the data storage system, the data management service being adapted to:
 in a first instance of the determination where the first copy of the data is inconsistent with the data stored on the data storage system, update the first copy of the data to be consistent with the second copy of the data; and 
 in a second instance of the determination where the second copy of the data is inconsistent with the data stored on the data storage system, update the second copy of the data to be consistent with the first copy of the data. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The data storage system of  claim 2 , wherein the data management service is a distributed application that operates using computing resources of the first storage node, the second storage node, and the support node. 
     
     
       4. The data storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the support node does not store any copies of the data of the data storage system. 
     
     
       5. The data storage system of  claim 4 , wherein the support node comprises fewer computing resources than the first storage node, and the support node comprises fewer computing resources than the second storage node. 
     
     
       6. The data storage system of  claim 5 , wherein each of the first storage node, the second storage node, and the support node comprise a data processing system, the data processing system comprising independent computing resources managed by software hosted by the data processing system. 
     
     
       7. The data storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the chassis comprises a panel through which the first storage node, the second storage node, and the support node may be physically accessed. 
     
     
       8. The data storage system of  claim 7 , wherein the support node occupies less than 10% of an area of the panel. 
     
     
       9. The data storage system of  claim 8 , wherein the support node occupies less than 10% of a volume of an interior of the chassis. 
     
     
       10. The data storage system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a power supply that provides power to at least one of the first storage node, the second storage node, and the support node. 
 
     
     
       11. A method for operating a data storage system, the data storage system comprising a chassis, a first storage node positioned in the chassis, a second storage node positioned in the chassis, and a support node positioned in the chassis, the method comprising:
 maintaining, by the first storage node, a first copy of data stored by the data storage system; 
 maintaining, by the second storage node, a second copy of the data stored by the data storage system; 
 maintaining, by the support node, metadata for the data stored in the data storage system; and 
 when the first storage node and the second storage node have an inconsistency in the data stored by the data storage system, participating, by the support node, in a resolution process to resolve the inconsistency between the first copy of the data and the second copy of the data, the resolution process comprising a quorum based voting process that comprises making a determination using the metadata regarding whether the first copy of the data or the second copy of the data comprises an inconsistency with the data stored by the data storage system. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 in a first instance of the determination where the first copy of the data is inconsistent with the data stored on the data storage system, updating the first copy of the data to be consistent with the second copy of the data; and 
 in a second instance of the determination where the second copy of the data is inconsistent with the data stored on the data storage system, updating the second copy of the data to be consistent with the first copy of the data. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first copy of the data is updated by a data management service comprising a distributed application that operates using computing resources of the first storage node, the second storage node, and the support node. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the support node occupies less than 10% of an area of a panel of the chassis, the first storage node, the second storage node, and the support node being accessible via the panel. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the support node occupies less than 10% of a volume of an interior of the chassis. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the data storage system further comprises:
 a power supply that provides power to at least one of the first storage node, the second storage node, and the support node. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the updating of the first copy of the data and the updating of the second copy of the data are performed by a data management service hosted by the data storage system. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the support node does not store any copies of the data of the data storage system. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the support node comprises fewer computing resources than the first storage node, and the support node comprises fewer computing resources than the second storage node. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein each of the first storage node, the second storage node, and the support node comprise a data processing system, the data processing system comprising independent computing resources managed by software hosted by the data processing system.